If there is an administration that has mainstreamed the youths, it is the administration of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State. This administration is greatly favoured for having many dedicated Abians who are willing to assist the Governor empower the youths in the State. One of the people in the driver’s sit of Dr. Ikpeazu’s success story is Mr. Endi Ezengwa, the Coordinator of Education for Employment (E4E) Pogramme and State Coordinator, Youth Employment and Social Support Operation (YESSO).
Mr.Endi Ezengwa recently gave a keynote address during the International Youth Day Celebration hosted by the State Ministry of Youth in Michael Okpara auditorium. His address focuses on TRANSFORMING EDUCATION: THE OKEZIE VICTOR IKPEAZU’S EXAMPLE, he took the youths to the memory lane and reminded them that “Even though Education can be defined as the process of facilitating learning or the acquisition of knowledge, skills, values, beliefs and habits, it should lead to financial independence especially in Africa where we rely on our incomes to sustain ourselves and our extended family members”.
The skill acquisition and youth empowerment advocate told the youths at the gathering that engaging in skills acquisition or small and medium scale entreprise which Abia is known for would create employment, support the existing MSMEs in the State, increase of Internally Generated Revenue [IGR] of the State to support various developmental programmes, reduction in crime rates as many youths would be gainfully employed, improvement of the general well-being of Abia people at large.
He revealed to the youths that to manage the numerous existing potentials in the State and achieve its outcomes the Governor established Abia State Education for Employment (E4E). The Education for Employment offers technical vocational and education training to engage youths in various sector skill areas. Because of the robust structures and systems that were set up by Governor Ikpeazu through E4E, the World Bank now through the Youth Employment and Social Support Operation (YESSO) project has intervened to support the training of youths in the State, especially the poor and vulnerable ones.
Mr. Ezengwa also disclosed that as at today, 3,863 (three thousand eight hundred and sixty-three) youths have been engaged in the YESSO Public Workfare programme. Also similar number would be engaged in another segment of YESSO known as Skills for Jobs (S4J) project. The youths in the programme are to be receiving N7,500 in exchange for 15 hours community work a month. Each beneficiary will be supported to start a business on completion of the training which will be between 3 – 6 months. Of course, the programme is being piloted in some wards in six Local Government Areas (LGAs) including; Isialangwa North, Isialangwa South, Ohafia, Ugwunagbo, Ukwa East and Umunneochi but would include all the wards in the State in due course.
By the exposure and pieces of advice given to the youths by the State Coordinator of YESSO and E4E, Mr. Endi Ezengwa, the youths of Abia State should be assured that the Governor has their best interest at heart and is poised to empower Abia youths the more.
Mr. Endi Ezengwa deserves commendation for his zeal and zest in galvanizing the Abia youths for skills acquisition. He has shown this interest through pioneering and pilloting empowerment programmes specifically packaged for Abia youths. It is advisable that Abia youths should imbibe the spirit of empowerment and benefit from the visionary programmes of Governor Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, Ph.D.
UNU,
22/08/2019